Entering the season, one unit stood out as the most dependable for the Minnesota Twins: their bullpen. Initially ranked among baseball’s best, the team even made significant investments to further strengthen it.
This investment is notable given the Twins’ $30 million payroll reduction in the offseason. However, halfway through the season, the bullpen has become the team’s foremost concern and potential weak spot.
Minnesota’s relievers now rank 14th in the league after leading at the start of the season. Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran have shouldered much of the workload, with Josh Staumont proving a valuable addition. Apart from these contributors, the bullpen has been inconsistent and occasionally problematic in late-game situations.
Caleb Thielbar’s form has been precarious, Jorge Alcalá inconsistent, and Jay Jackson was designated for assignment twice. With the trade deadline approaching and the Twins likely to be active, there is a compelling argument for bolstering the bullpen with additional resources.
Bleacher Report highlighted a potential trade that caught attention: acquiring Carlos Estévez from the Angels. “Carlos Estévez had 31 saves and was an All-Star last year, boasting a 3.24 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 9.7 K/9 in the second season of a two-year, $13.5 million deal,” wrote Joel Reuter.
While Estévez’s salary of $6.7 million for this season may appear steep for a Twins team cautious with expenditures, not all of it is likely to be assumed by Minnesota in a trade scenario.
The Twins have been hesitant to spend aggressively, but their reluctance to invest more in the team during the offseason has backfired. Adding Estévez could increase payroll but potentially yield wins, particularly crucial in postseason scenarios.
The specific trade proposal aside, the fundamental need remains clear: the Twins must consider enhancing their bullpen before the deadline and not shy away from financial considerations.
Prospect capital could be a deterrent, but in this instance, the risk appears minimal. Bleacher Report suggests the Twins offering Single-A pitcher Cesar Lares to the Angels, a modest price for a team with promising pitching prospects in the pipeline.
Lares has shown promise in Fort Myers with a 3.30 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. While his impact might be distant, the Twins’ history of cautious trading should not preclude them from making calculated moves.
Minnesota’s past experiences, including the Jorge López trade, underline the risks involved, but continual hesitancy in trades could hinder future progress. A move akin to this proposal could prove a worthwhile gamble for the Twins as they aim to fortify their roster for the stretch run.